


Through the Eyes of Another (Straight Through to My Soul)

by DoorENGray



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Femslash, Humor, Introspection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2018-05-13 06:49:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5698987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoorENGray/pseuds/DoorENGray
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jesus, didn't they realize that the office walls were made of glass?</p>
<p>That people could, you know, actually see them?</p>
<p>...They hung off every word the other one said. They could be talking about what stamps to use on the outgoing mail and Lucy had no doubt their expressions would be the same, so positively infatuated with each other.</p>
<p>Cue the cartoon heart eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The development of Kara and Cat's relationship as seen through the eyes of those around them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lucy

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure who came up with the idea of the Supersquad, I came across it somewhere along the Supercat tag, and the idea of it was just too delicious. Whoever you are, you are a) positively brilliant and b) deserve all the credit!
> 
> This chapter very loosely ties into a scene in the second chapter of I Had to Find the Passage Back (To the Place I was Before), but is meant to stand alone.
> 
> Chapter the first: Lucy.

"Oh my god."

The sudden outburst had both James and Winn searching out the source of the exclamation, their eyes settling on Lucy's shocked expression, mouth agape in a gasp.

Following Lucy's gaze, her eyes had been locked on the display past the glass windows separating Cat's office from her employees, to the space beyond.

Encased within, Kara was seated next to Cat on the couch, the two women angled toward each other as they leaned over the coffee table to view the newest outline they were currently discussing. Though the three weren't privy to what was being said, they could see Kara with a look of concentration on her face and she studied the outline, her glasses having tracked a bit down her nose.

But Cat's attention wasn't on the outline she was poised to approve, but rather fixed on Kara. The three observed as Cat lifted a hand to Kara's face, effectively interrupting whatever musings Kara had about the new design. Cat turned Kara's face toward her as she pushed the glasses further up her face, her hand lingering a moment on her cheek after righting the glasses, before falling back into place at her side. A smile shared between them both as Kara gestured to the table, their conversation resuming once more.

"Oh. My. God." Lucy exclaimed again, each word annunciated to reflect the disbelief enriched in her tone, seemingly oblivious of James and Winn standing a few feet from her. Her eyes were wide, eyebrows raised, her expression an open reveal of bewilderment.

James and Winn looked between one another, equally panicked looks adorning their features. James brought his hand up to his face, making a notion Winn thought to mean 'glasses', before the two turned their attention to the shocked woman who remained fixed to the interactions of the medial mogul and her assistant in the office beyond.

"Lucy," James trailed off, his tone a careful tread as he reached a hand out toward her, drawing Lucy's gaze to the two anxious men before her.

"You can't tell anyone that Kara is Supergirl!" Winn spoke in a rushed whisper of panic on the heel of James's appeal, head bent closer in to whisper his conspiratorial musing.

At this, two pairs of eyes were instantly on Winn, James's still a panicked stare, and Lucy's brow furrowing in questioning at his sudden outburst. But then her eyes grew wider as realization dawned.

"Wait," Lucy said, quickly glancing behind her at the office and back to Winn in a flash, "Kara is Supergirl?!" she questioned in a whisper, astonishment and disbelief coming together in her voice.

James's head whipped back to her as Winn's eyes threatened to tumble from his head at the taken aback expression about his features. Then the two of them looked to each other for a second, and then turned their attention back to her once more.

And really, if she weren't so preoccupied by the massive revelation that just happened, Lucy might have considered the sight they must've have presented–the two men twisting their heads back and forth and back again, their eyes comically wide.

It's like they belonged in cartoon. 

_Cut to two sets of eyes bulging out of their heads, increasing three times in size._

"Oh my god!" Well, damn. Kara is Supergirl. She can’t really say that she had seen that one coming.

"Shhh!" James hushed at the same time Winn exclaimed, "Keep your voice down!" James turned his head about the office–and really, again? Wasn't it getting uncomfortable by now?–to check for anyone that may have overheard their exchange. Satisfied that their conversation had gone unnoticed, he turned an accusatory stare in Winn's direction.

"What?" Winn shot back, shrugging his shoulders in defense. "We were both thinking it, I'm just the one who said something."

"No, you're the one who blew it up–"

"You did the whole glasses thing."

"That doesn't mean you had to–"

"I panicked! It happens."

"It was premature–"

"You wouldn't know anything about things coming premature would–"

"Seriously?!" Lucy interrupted their snipping. "My god, the two of you bicker like an old married couple, it's like your dating him instead of me," Lucy said offhandedly in James's direction.

Mind still processing, Lucy's thoughts raced at the new revelation, before a new thought tickled her conscious and her brow furrowed in thought. "Do all of your bff's have super powers?" Lucy questioned with a hint of exasperation, her attention on James. "First the big guy, and now her?"

"Any more super friends that you’re hiding?"

James shot her a disbelieving look. "I do have other friends!" James asserted in defense.

"Yeah, I know about the time The Bat came to Metropolis and you wouldn't stop talking about–"

"I do!" James cut in before he looked to Winn for help.

Lucy scoffed, her eyes leveling a fierce look before at him before she focused on Winn once more. "Wait, don't tell me," Lucy began, "Is Green Lantern hiding beneath that shirt and tie?" Lucy said, her hands on her hips, gaze appraising Winn.

It was Winn's turn to scoff, as he questioned, "Why would you assume I'm Green Lantern?" a hint of offense to his tone.

"Why can't I be Spider-Man?" Winn continued, a petulance evident in his voice as his own hands took up residence on his hips.

"Not helping, Winn," James interjected as the stare off between his girlfriend and the other man continued full force.

"But Spider-Man is more badas–," Winn began, before a sharp look silenced him.

"Lucy," James drew out the word, breaking their intense stare.

A deep breath of composure, James continued, imploring Lucy's silence "You can't tell anyone."

And glancing back through the glass windows of Cat's office, at the two within, Lucy thought she wouldn't have to. Because if the two of them couldn't get it together and stop acting like two lovestruck puppies, the whole world would be able to see it.

She knew that look–that look of intensity that passed between the two of them sometimes; the one filled with impossible longing–because she had seen it before.

In how Supergirl looked at Cat. And how Cat looked back at her.

The strength of that look, the simmering suggestion of what could lie underneath it–it didn't matter which persona the newly revealed hero portrayed, the look stayed the same.

She found herself honestly surprised she hadn't picked up on it before. Now that it had been brought forth to her conscious mind, it was obvious. And she couldn't un-see it now, her mind playing over the countless interactions she had seen between the two.

It wasn't just obvious now. It was glaring.

"Lucy—" James's voice brought her from her musings, back to the present, where the implied question waited for a resolution.

This would complicate things with her job, yes, but it wasn’t the first time she had been charged with the arduous task of keeping such a big secret. 

"Alright, alright," she acquiesced. "Her secret is safe with me."

The two men breathed a sigh of relief, before James spoke in consideration, "We could actually use your help."

At Lucy's questioning glance, he continued, "We do what we can to help Kara," lowering his voice before he added, "to help Supergirl as best we can."

"We could always use someone else that we can trust," he concluded, a hopeful look coloring his features..

Lucy took a moment to consider it, as she turned to observe the happenings within Cat's office again. Kara and Cat were conversing again, Kara listening intently, all of her focus on whatever Cat was saying, until Kara laughed, her hand landing on Cat's forearm in an unconscious casual contact.

And Jesus, didn't they realize that the office walls were made of glass?

That people could, you know, actually see them?

...They hung off every word the other one said. They could be talking about what stamps to use on the outgoing mail and Lucy had no doubt their expressions would be the same, so positively infatuated with each other.

_Cue the cartoon heart eyes._

But maybe–maybe something that delicate and precious deserved to be protected.

Mind made up, resolute in her decision, she turned her attention back to the two anxious men. "Alright," she spoke with vigor, "I'm in!"

James and Winn shared a look of gleeful surprise, a wide smile overtaking Winn's face.

"Welcome to the Supersquad!" Winn said excitedly to Lucy, eyes alight as he reached out his hand for a high-five.

Except he was left hanging by the judgmental look on Lucy's face as she stood, arms crossed over her chest. Looking between the two, she added dryly, "Please don't tell me you actually call yourselves that."

Winn looked at his still unclasped hand, hanging limp in the air. Waiting. Patiently. Just waiting.

This always seemed to happen to him.

"It was his idea," James and Winn exclaimed in tandem a beat later, each pointing a finger and blame at the other.

The challenging lift of Lucy's eyebrow said all she needn't speak.

Seconds into an awkward silence later, Winn righted himself, straightening his tie. "Um, right" Winn began again, his hand rubbing the back of his neck in an attempt to quell the creeping redness of embarrassment that threatened to overtake his face. "I'm going to," he continued, "Supersquad," he said, flustered. "Do Supersquad stuff!" he amended a second later, turning to leave.

"In our headquarters," he added as he brushed past Lucy. "For Supersquad members only," she could hear his continued muttering as he stalked away.

Staring at the retreating form of the man, Lucy questioned dryly to James, "Please tell me he isn't hiding a Supersquad undershirt beneath all of those cardigans.”

"I wouldn't be surprised," James spoke, his deep timbre reflecting his amusement.

After a pause passed between them, James questioned "So you're really ok with," he trailed off, his hands gesturing toward Kara, where she was laughing at something Cat must've said, a light blush coloring her cheeks and a nervous smile in place.

"Well it makes sense," Lucy said after a brief consideration, her voice holding none of the speckled disbelief it held earlier. "Clark Kent is Superman, after all," she said, letting her statement trail off into the air.

"You know?!" James said immediately, his turn now to be exasperated and surprised.

"Although at least he works with my sister, instead of under her." Lucy continued, musing to herself as if she hadn't heard James's outcry. "I wonder if that makes her the bottom in the relationship or if the super strength gets in the way of that?" her face twisted in consideration of the question.

"Wha—," James began, confused a bit at Lucy's musings and lost in his attempt to follow thm, before his mind refocused. "Wait," he said, trying to turn his thoughts into a coherence that could be verbalized. "You knew" he continued, "all this time?"

Lucy scoffed, "Of course I knew!" before she elaborated, simply, "He's dating my sister," voice reflecting the disbelief that he thought she wouldn't know. That she would allow Clark to date her sister without knowing everything there was to know about him.

So she was a bit over protective. It was her job as a sister. Large in part, she felt she always made calculated, smart decisions when it came to protecting her.

Except that time she threatened harm to Clark if he ever hurt her. Of course, that was before she had found out his true identity. But really, "I will cut you if you ever hurt her"–not the best idea she's ever had.

Seriously, I will cut you? Damn teenage years.

James's look brought her back to the present, conveying that he wished her to elaborate further. "No one from this planet is as squeaky clean," she shrugged in nonchalance. "Certainly not between three different vets from the FBI, CIA, and the DOJ," she continued, still in disbelief that once she had the access to look, her search hadn't turned up a shred of indecency.

"You had him vetted?!" James cried, shock further etched into his features.

He really did look comical, she mused.

_She's just waiting now for the anvil to fall somewhere and complete this cartoon of a spectacle._

"He's dating my sister," she annunciated each word in emphasis, as if such a reason was obvious and justified.

"And he's your secret boyfriend," she added, another reason to know exactly who she cared about was getting into bed with. Figuratively. Ok, literally too. For her sister at least, but just...no...

A look of queasiness passed briefly over her features, before it faded, replaced by mirth.

"Do I have to worry about him," she gestured in the direction that Winn had left, "being your secret boyfriend too now?" she questioned, an upward tint to her lips signifying the amusement coloring her tone.

James rolled his eyes, "Lucy."

"I don't know, you two seem awfully chummy," she teased.

"Lucy!" And even though he sounded ruffled, Lucy could see the smile in his eyes, hear it in his voice.

"Relax," she reassured him. "At least I can keep an eye out that your bromance doesn't go too overboard," she continued, smile taking over her features before she finished "now that I'm part of the Supersquad too."

Another eye roll form James, he replied in jest, "Winn will be just thrilled." He let out a sigh, and left them in the comfortable silence that settled between them.

Side by side, leaned back against the desk, the two turned their attention once more to the happenings of the office in front of them. And though they still couldn't hear what was being said, it did not deter their quiet observation.

Apparently the two women had reached a pause in their debate over the design outline, as Kara was now at the far side of the room, fetching Cat a glass of water. She returned to stand in front of the other woman, Cat's gaze on her as she moved. Cat's hand closed around hers as she took the proffered drink, her eyes never leaving Kara's. Their gazes remained locked for a beat, before Cat completed the transfer of the drink, her attention focused once more on the layout as Kara sat down again, if only slightly closer to Cat this time.

"So wait," James began, a question beneath the surface of his tone, drawing Lucy's gaze away from her fixation with inner room and back to him.

"If you didn't know about Kara, what was the 'oh my god' about," and with this he raised his voice to a higher pitch, shaking his hands about in a spectacle as he mocked Lucy, "in the first place?"

Lucy answered in a smirk that covered her features, turning her head back to observe the scene that had started all of this. In her periphery, she could see James cross his arms over his chest, his eyes trained in her, waiting for an answer.

Lucy continued to look forward, before she replied, her tone confident in her assertion, "Just the fact that they're totally in love with each other."

She could see James's mouth fall open and his gaze shoot forward to the office in front of them. "Or have they not realized it yet?" she finished.

Oh, she was going to have so much fun with this.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy saw James's mouth right itself closed, his head tilt his head in contemplation, forehead crinkled, taking in the two women behind the glass once more.

_Here’s the cloud thought bubble._

Wait for it.

_Wait. For. It._

"...oh my god."

_And there's the anvil._


	2. Alex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I spent two hours going through more wardrobe changes than a Broadway show before I finally convinced her to wear that dress," Alex finished, remembering the exhaustive process it had taken to find an outfit Kara had been comfortable with and received Alex’s approval as being both stylish and professional.
> 
> "At least your taste is commendable," Cat complemented, her eyes tilted up in remembrance of the flattering curves of the chic deep brown blazer peppered with lighter trimmings, combined with the earth toned dress, with dark boots and stockings to match. 
> 
> "The whole Andy Sachs post makeover look seemed fitting," Alex remarked, surprised that Cat seemed to remember and was, perhaps, impressed. "You give off a serious Miranda Priestly vibe."
> 
> "I'll take that as a complement," Cat replied, amusement and a hint of mischief in her tone. 
> 
> "You can take that however you want," Alex said, although her tone was less derisive when it was tempered by the slight up quirk to her lips.

"—it was a trap, from the second she flew in."

Kara had been injured in an explosion. Intel gathered from one of the captured Kryptonians had led them to a supposed base of operations the fugitives of a Fort Rozz. The chosen warehouse was hidden amongst several other abandoned buildings. Alex led a team to clear the first of the building while Kara had flown on the opposite side of the lot, back up on her heels, finding a staging ground instead. The room, wide and open, was the perfect setting for an ambush. She had just enough time to take in the ominous looking device in the middle of the room, before Non's Kryptonian soldiers were upon her.

She had handled herself well until the Kyrptonian lieutenant had sounded for a retreat. Alex had immediately reassigned her team to target building, abandoning the search of their own at the commotion. Kara had been securing the safety of the injured DEO agents when the ground started to shake. She moved to shield one of the hurt agents from the blast when the device exploded, shards of the concealed Kryptonite flying in all directions.

Alex was still on the other side of the lot when the blast shook the building, helpless but to stare on. And now her sister was lying on a table back in the infirmary of the DEO—again—and Alex should've done something, anything, to have better protected her.

"Alex!" her conversation with James and Winn was interrupted by an incensed exclamation of her name, accompanied by the rapid staccato notes of heels on the tiled floor as Cat burst forth from her office, coming to a stop before them.

"Seriously?" Winn's tone twisted in incredulous question. "You work with the two of us everyday," he voiced, pointing between himself and James, "you barely know her," his hand gestured to where Alex stood appraising the new arrival, "and hers is the name you get right?" Winn concluded, befuddled.

A level glare at Winn later, Cat addressed Alex as if she hadn't heard the pouting from the younger man. "Where is she?"

"Miss Grant," Alex Drew out, a placating note to her tone.

"There are few things I hate more than repeating myself," Cat said, eyes narrowed, "and one of those things is not getting what I want. So let's try this again, shall we?”

"Where is she," Cat questioned again, her tone reflecting that her query was a demand for answers, and anything less than a definitive response would not be received well.

Alex recoiled a moment, turning a inquisitive glance at Winn.

“It’s been all over the news,” Winn replied to the unvoiced question, his eyes darting quickly to the televisions above Alex’s shoulder. “They’ve been showing coverage of the explosion, but they don’t have full details yet.” 

With a slight nod, Alex turned her attention back to Cat, her posture stiffening in response to the unspoken challenge of power set forth by the older woman. "She's with our team of doctors," she answered, eyes guarded defensively.

A heated stare ignited between the two women, before a clearing of a throat raised their attention.

“What’s her condition?” James prodded. 

Holding the hardened glare for a few tics more, Alex’s eyes lowered in appraisal of the formidable woman in front of her—hip cocked, spine straight; the perfect picture of unbridled dominance—before she turned her attention toward James, her features softening at the worry clearly painted over his face. 

"She stable," Alex replied, a note of relief evident in her voice, but her tone still tainted with exhaustion. "But she's still not out of the woods yet." 

It had taken all of Alex’s will to leave the DEO—to leave her sister’s side. But Kara was conscious and insisting that she find Winn and their research they had compiled in investigation prior to the failed raid.

And Alex felt this tug within her, pulled between relief and resignation. She couldn’t completely stomach the thought of leaving Kara in such pain, but she didn’t think she could stand to watch it either, knowing that if she had been there sooner, been faster, such an issue would be nonexistent.

And then there was the deep unfurling anger that she kept tightly locked away, way beneath the surface, deep within the recesses of her own mind, buried beneath doors of control and poise. It waited, untapped, curling up her spine to whisper in her ear.

Rarely was it given the chance to arise unbidden, after years of control. There were moments it slipped through the cracks, only to be tightly bottled back within the confines of her mind.

She wanted revenge. Sweet, merciless, efficient revenge. Her fingers itched to dole out pain to those who had caused her sister such. And she knew it to be weakness and uncharacteristic, to be compromised so, her poise cracked. She knew herself to be better than to allow herself to succumb to such distracting emotions. But it was more favorable than the crushing guilt she felt at the image of Kara lying limp on a gurney she never should have been in.

She had but one job—in this life as a DEO agent, as a sister—one purpose she had been crafted for, ever since she was a child. She could hear her father’s voice swirling around her mind. 

Always protect our family, Alex. That includes Kara now. 

She folded in on herself just a bit at thought that he might be disappointed in her, especially today.

The urging glances of all three of the room's other occupants freed her from her thoughts, the distant look in her eyes sharpening as she explained further, "The bomb contained traces of Kryptonite. When it exploded, Kara was struck with some of the pieces," a perceptible wince in her posture at the memory.

"We were able to remove most of the shards, but when the pieces cut Kara," Alex paused to gather herself as she struggled with worry and concern." She has trace levels of Kryptonite in her bloodstream, acting as a poison," she began again, pained.

At the concerned gasps of her companions, she revealed, "The levels aren't enough to kill her." A pause filled the room as the her next admission came, "Just enough to cause her a great deal of pain," she finished, her voice cracking the barest bit.

After reigning in emotions with a small intake of breath, a trick her father had taught her when she was younger, she continued, "That's why I'm here." She turned to address Winn, "Winn, I need you to come with me, we need the files you and Kara compiled—"

"I'm coming with you," Cat cut in sharply. 

At the slack jawed expression from Winn and the hardening of Alex’s features, Cat continued, annoyed, "Did I stutter?" a perfectly arched eyebrow on display conveying her impatience. 

Alex sparred Winn one last glance before her eyes matched Cat’s. "You may be Kara's boss," she said steely, a flash of anger in her eyes, "and can intimidate her into doing your bidding, but that doesn't work with me,” she finished, taking a measured step forward, hands taking up residence on her hips. 

"Is that how you think it works?" Cat challenged coolly, stepping forward to meet Alex. "That I intimidate her into answering my every whim, attending to my every need?” she questioned back, her tone mockingly suggestive, spiking Alex’s ire further. 

The two stood toe to toe, neither bending to the other’s dominance, before a small voice rose in the background.

"Did it just get warm in here?" Winn whispered to James, drawing two incensed pair of eyes to him. "Uh, nothing," he added after a moment at the questioning up-tilt brows of the arguing pair. 

Alex shook her head, not sparing Cat another glance as she turned toward the floor’s exit. "Winn," she glancing toward the door after a parting nod at James, before she strode past Winn. The two managed but a few steps before Cat’s voice caused them pause in their escape. 

"If you leave now," Cat's confident voice directed toward Winn, "you're fired," she concluded, her features steeled, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Winn stopped mid step and whipped around, a quick disbelieving glance back toward Cat's position before he tossed a panicked look at Alex.

"I'm coming with you," Cat said unwavering, both hands resting on her hips. 

"Alex," Winn glanced sideways toward her, his teeth grit in a whispered plea.

A tired sigh slipped past Alex’s lips. "It's a classified facility," she argued as she turned back around to face Cat, "it's need to know."

Cat rolled her eyes in annoyance. "So is how to dress like an adult, but clearly your sister hasn't mastered that yet," she responded dryly. "What she has mastered is the understanding that its easier for everyone to just give me what I want," she continued, and Alex detected what she thought was a hint of fondness concealed behind the barb. 

"And that I hate to lose."

Cat’s feet carried her to stand before the pair. “Either I’m coming with you, or I’m staying here to prepare tomorrow’s headline of the secret clandestine organization that has Supergirl tucked tightly away in their pocket,” Cat warned, her eyes alight with danger. “Really, the choice is up to you.”

Alex thought then, this was the attitude that got Cat Grant to the top of the game, the supposed ‘Queen of All Media.’ And while part of her greatly admired the strength and fortitude, she was loathe to see it used against her. 

Her eyes shut briefly then, a silent plea for patience, before they refocused on Cat once more. "You're signing a non-disclosure form," Alex replied, resigned.

"Now, we’ve wasted enough time,” Cat said bitingly, shouldering her bag before she brushed past Alex and Winn on her way to the door. 

“Chop. Chop."

And Alex’s aggravated fists curled just a bit tighter at the thought of exactly the well dressed whirlwind of a woman she wanted to ‘chop’.

* * *

"You don't like me," Alex heard the observation from the passenger seat, disrupting the terse silence that had occupied the car since the beginning of the ride.

Alex thought her control to be impressive not having barked in laughter at the assertion. The exhaustion of the day seemed to settle into her bones, affording her more tame state. Alex’s face twisted in consideration, her tired gaze trained on the road ahead, before she answered, "I don't like how you treat my sister."

Taking the silence from the seat next to her as a prompt to continue, Alex elaborated, "She works her ass off for you, and you still treat her like a lower class lackey half the time."

"Oh please,” Cat scoffed, and Alex could see the eye roll in periphery. 

"Telling her that her hair makes her look homeless and that she needs to use some shampoo—"

"It was conditioner. And that's not entirely how that conversation went."

"—Or that time you sent her to scour the city for some god-forsaken coffee blend,”

“It was a latte ground with beans that cost more than I’m sure what they’re paying you an hour, and it was said to be absolutely exquisite.” 

“She flew all the way to Chicago to find a place that made it, and then you went and threw it out!”

“That’s the last time I trusted anyone else’s definition of fine taste. It tasted like stream water.”

"Or the time you made her come in to the office on New Years Ever, and during the middle of Thanksgiving dinner—"

"—That last one was an emergency," Cat argued. 

"Besides," she sighed out, her eyes darting down to consider her fingernails of her left hand, her thumb prodding them in boredom, "she would've shown up as Supergirl later anyway."

Alex glanced sideways at her before she returned sharply, "That's not the point."

Her fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter for a moment, before they begun to relax their hold as Alex breathed out a sigh. "The point," she continued, the biting edge to her tone lessened, "is that after all she does for you, she deserves better from you."

"She deserves for you to actually care."

"And I deserve to have a beach house in Maui which my ex-husband stole in the divorce," Cat countered flippantly, "we can't all get what we deserve." 

“But you're wrong,” she continued with a deep sigh, as if the coming revelation was a tax to admit, "I do care."

At this Alex let a small, clipped laugh escape her lips. "You have a real funny way of showing it,"

Cat’s brow arched up, a critical color to her features. "The overprotective big sister thing is a little cliché, don't you think?" she began, before she turned her attention out the window, the yellow glow of the streetlights lining the highway reflecting in her brown eyes. 

"Your sister can lift a building with a bare hands after all."

"It's not Supergirl that I'm worried about," Alex said, a hand coming up to brush away an errant bang that had fallen into her eyes. 

"Supergirl wasn't the one who called me the night before she interviewed with you, speaking a mile a minute because she was so nervous," she said, a small upturn to her lips at the memory. 

"She made me come over in the middle of the night to make sure she had the right outfit picked out," she recalled. She had spent an tiresome day hot on the trail of the DEO’s terror of the week, not free until the late hours of the night. All she wanted was to go home to a warm bath and a glass of a fine red, but her phone had 9 missed calls and 3 hurried voice messages of panic. 

"I spent two hours going through more wardrobe changes than a Broadway show before I finally convinced her to wear that dress," she finished, remembering the exhaustive process it had taken to find an outfit Kara had been comfortable with and received Alex’s approval as being both stylish and professional.

"At least your taste is commendable," Cat complemented, her eyes tilted up in remembrance of the flattering curves of the chic deep brown blazer peppered with lighter trimmings, combined with the earth toned dress, with dark boots and stockings to match. 

"The whole Andy Sachs post makeover look seemed fitting," Alex remarked, surprised that Cat seemed to remember and was, perhaps, impressed. "You give off a serious Miranda Priestly vibe."

"I'll take that as a complement," Cat replied, amusement and a hint of mischief in her tone. 

"You can take that however you want," Alex said, although her tone was less derisive when it was tempered by the slight up quirk to her lips.

She drummed her fingers idly on the steering wheel, before she continued, "She was so worried about getting the job," her face blossoming into a full smile at the memory her sister’s antics. 

"This is my chance to make a difference Alex," her intonation and mannerism adopted Kara's for a moment, before she sighed, resigned skepticism back in place, "she's so adorably naive sometimes.” 

She heard Cat shift in her seat, her body angled to face her as she leaned further back into the plush of the seat. 

“All she sees is the good in people,” Alex went on, the halt of her finger’s cadence on the wheel matching the pause in her words, “she chooses not to see the selfishness or greediness of the world.” 

She straightened in her seat, sitting up further, before she returned to the original query that had sparked the conversation. "She may not need someone to protect her, but that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve someone who wants to."

The silence stretched through the car once more as Alex’s proclamation hung unanswered in the air around them. She could feel Cat’s gaze upon her, could hear the silent contemplation. She was unnerved at the stare, a feeling of unease swelling within her at not being able to return the glance wholeheartedly, her eyes dedicated to watching the road. 

"Do you know why I haven't told the world the identity of Supergirl yet?" Cat began, with something Alex couldn’t quite put her finger on lingering in her tone. 

Alex rolled her eyes skeptically, "Because you like having her at your service?"

"It does have its perks, especially when I need a good servicing," Cat remarked wryly. 

Alex’s eyes whipped away from the road, scandalized in response to the answer, until she saw Cat’s features contoured in amused sarcasm. 

“It would be the biggest scoop of the century,” Cat explained candidly as Alex shook her head, eyes gaze shooting back to the road, “but Supergirl is more than just a cape and an S.” 

Cat seemed to consider her next statement carefully, her eyes leaving Alex’s profile to focus ahead on the blurring lights of traffic on the other side of the window, before she continued with a hint of fondness, “Your sister has taught me as much.” 

“She needs a sense of normalcy, to ground her,” she went on, clasping her hands together where they rested in her lap, before her gaze returned to Alex once more.

"We may not see it the same way, but we both want the same for her," Cat finished, her tone softer now.

The silence settled between them once more, leaving each to their own thoughts, affording Alex the chance to measure the admission. For all of the bravado the other woman had seamlessly exuded over their encounter, she seemed genuine. And if Alex considered it thoroughly, worried. 

Cat had nothing to gain from her sharp disregard at being left behind. By the time they arrived back from the DEO, the time for headlines scooped first would be long past. And hearing her speak now, Alex came to consider that there was an underlying affection she had somehow come to discount given her bias toward protecting Kara’s happiness.

"Oh thank God," came a grateful exhale from the back seat, reminding both Cat and Alex of the forgotten occupant that had been subjected to the entirety of their exchange—in all of its awkward glory. 

"We're here," Winn sighed out in relief. 

* * *

"How is she?" Alex asked, coming to stop beside Hank in the observation room outside of the infirmary after having deposited Winn in the control room. Through the glass she saw Kara spread limply on the table, her body contorted in pain, the pale sheen to her face accentuated by the harsh lighting from the machine above her, before a scream tore loose from her lips.

Alex’s eyes closed painfully at the sound—surely the worst that had ever graced her ears—for the briefest of moments, before they blinked open to Hank, steeled once more. 

"Still undergoing treatment," he replied, eyes trained forward.

"Will she be ok?" Alex heard Cat’s voice come from behind her. 

Hank turned to take in the intruder as Cat strode fully into the room, his eyes apprising her scrupulously before sharpening his gaze toward Alex, eyebrow lifted in question.

"–I'll explain later"

Hank’s arms came up to cross over his chest, his stance now one of defensive composure. "This is a classified facility, Agent Danvers," he began, his tone admonishing.

"And the only way to keep your little Area 51 going is to tell me what I want to know, before it makes the front page headlines tomorrow," Cat cut in, a flash of practiced aplomb in her eyes as she leveled the force of her glare at Hank. 

One of Alex’s hand reached up to scrub tiredly at her face, before she replied with resignation, "It's easier to just give her what she wants," gesturing offhandedly in Cat’s direction.

A smug look overtook Cat’s features as she diverted her attention to Alex once more, "It took you a lot less time than your sister to understand how things are supposed to work," Cat replied, the impressed note in her voice colored with mockery.

"Don't push it," Alex shot back, exhausted worrying starting to get the upper hand on her balanced control as the pain of a headache started to bore from behind her eyes.

“Kara trusts her,” Alex said, directing her attention back to Hank. “I’m sure Miss Grant will regret it if that trust is betrayed,” she continued, the clear warning shining through in her words. 

Hank sighed and nodded his head tersely in agreement. "She'll be fine in a couple of hours," he answered, finally acknowledging Cat’s initial question, "It's enough to hold her over until sunrise when her body can begin to truly heal."

"We're coming up on a break in the treatment," Hank said when a shrill beeping sounded from within the infirmary. "I'll leave you two to—," he trailed off, gesturing to the treatment room before he brought his hand up to squeeze Alex’s shoulder in a brief show of support as he took his leave from the room. 

Alex nodded her head in thanks, before letting a breath escape through her lips as she place her hands against the ledge of the wall as it gave rise to glass halfway up. She leaned her weight forward onto her forearms, her head dropping as her eyes closed shut for a moment. 

"Stop that," she heard arise curly from where Cat had taken up residence beside her. 

"Excuse me?" Eyes snapping open, she took in the annoyed scowl on Cat’s face, before Cat continued.

"I once had a blind masseuse.” At the questioning up tilt to Alex’s brow, she elaborated, "really good hands," before she paused a moment, her own brow furrowing in thought, "almost as good as your sister's," and if Alex hadn’t been so drained, she would’ve taken interest in the statement.

"Even she could see how guilty you look right now."

Alex turned her head forward once more, her eyes landing on Kara’s face, her eyes squeezed shut in pain, and Alex’s heart clenched painfully within her chest at the sight. "I should have been there faster." 

"That's not what she needs," Cat answered forcefully. 

"Like you would know—" Alex whirled around, the indignation she had held back the entire night finally wearing on her defenses to shine through. 

"That's my sister in there," she spat angrily, straightening to her full height, her hands bawled into fists where they rested at her sides. "That's not your headline stealing star, that's my sister!" 

"And maybe you're not the only one in this room that cares about her," Cat shot back, the conviction with which she spoke causing Alex pause. But it wasn’t simply conviction. Her tone was colored with passionate defiance, and, Alex saw it clearly now, concerned caring. 

Alex was used to untraditional caring—her own mother’s dedicated toughness proof enough. She supposed Cat to be the same. Her mind would eventually have to reconcile the difference between her perceived opinion of the other woman, and the newly revealed side of her that this night brought out. 

Alex turned her back to Cat, her form sagging in tired defeat. She heard Cat take a step forward, her voice closer, still rich with fervor. 

"She doesn't have her strength right now," Cat said turning her gaze to Kara’s prone form, a flash of pain that Alex could not see crossing her features, before a mask of confidence took its place. "She's hurt, and we both know she'll feel like she should have done better."

And Alex knew Cat’s statement held truth. Kara would undoubtedly feel that she should have been more prepared, should have been faster or sharper, even though it was through no fault of her that the events had transpired the way in which they unfolded.

"She doesn’t need your self pity or your anger," Cat continued, “you can beat yourself up over it later with an unhealthy dose of bourbon, but right now, she needs you.”

A gentle hand perched delicately on Alex’s shoulder, bringing her head around to face Cat’s features once more. And though her voice was decidedly pragmatic, Alex could see understanding swimming in those brown eyes. 

A soft swipe of her thumb over Alex’s shoulder, before Cat continued, her voice soft, assuring, “She needs your strength, until she has her own back again.” 

Though Alex was loathe to admit it, the other woman was right, and her respect slowly grew for her, for the honest challenge that she did not back down from to bring Alex to her senses. 

Cat’s eyes implored hers for a moment longer before Alex gave a slight nod of her head as she began to regain her composure. 

“Now pull it together,” the moment of tender understanding between them gone as Cat straightened, hands smoothing over her dress as she moved toward the door, before she paused at the entry-way, a wicked smirk curling over her lips.

"By all means, move at a glacial pace."

And she knew that when she threw out the Miranda Priestly reference before in the car, that it would somehow come back to bite her.  


* * *

"Hey," Alex began softly, tenderness shining through her eyes as her feet returned her to Kara’s side once more .

God, Kara looked like hell. Dried blood stains dotted Kara’s suit as she lay prone on the stark white table, its harshness making Kara look paler smaller than Alex had ever seen her look. Her suit had tiny tears over its expanse, exposing the still healing cuts underneath, some continuing to stream blood slowly like a leaking faucet. A thin sheen of sweat coated her skin, and when Alex met her eyes, the normal shine to her blues was clouded by pain and weariness.

And thank whatever deity be in this life or the worlds beyond, the anguished screams of pain had finally been given rest. 

"Alex," Kara breathed out weakly, turning her head to face her as Alex kneeled down to her side.

"I'm here," she said, voice wobbling in the slightest as she ran a hand through Kara’s damp locks tenderly. 

Kara’s eyes focused over her shoulder, her head lifting off of the table, before she managed a surprise tone, "Miss Grant?" Kara’s eyes returned to search Alex’s gaze as she questioned, "Am I hallucinating again?"

Alex’s head turned to take in where Cat was perched a few feet away, her eyes gesturing in unspoken invitation to the other woman as she turned back to Kara. "She refused to stay behind when I went for Winn."

Kara let out a small chuckle, mangled with the effort that it took before her eyes slipped closed and her head relaxed to rest back on the table, "She always gets what she wants."

"Kara," Cat began, her voice lowered delicately, as she came to stand beside Alex’s crouched form, "how are you feeling?" and Alex could see that the confidence that had been so dominant minutes before was fleeting, Cat’s eyes swimming in worry despite the strength in her tone. 

Kara’s eyes blinked open slowly, and Alex thought that despite their weariness, her eyes seemed to come alight slightly at the sight of the other woman. "A little under the weather, but I'll be back in action in no time," she said lightly, and Alex had to choke back a laughing sob at how her sister was so clearly not alright, although her positively remained untarnished. 

"We still need to find—" Kara began, struggling to sit up before Alex’s hand on her chest gently pushed her back down.

"Winn is taking care of it," Alex assured, "save your strength."

"A little more and I'm ready to go—" Kara protested feebly, before she was cut off.

"You will do no such thing!" and "No you're not!" rang out in chorus as both Cat and Alex objected sternly.

And hmm, would you look at that, they were actually starting to agree.

"Maybe with a little bit of rest—" Kara tried, before her gaze traveled between two unyielding looks, two matching raised eyebrows, and Kara’s eyes widened at the sight.

"Did the two of you rehearse that look together?" she asked, "It's scary how alike the two of you look right now."

Alex looked to Cat and she allowed herself a chuckle, a slight upturn to Cat’s lips as she did, before Cat replied in Kara’s direction, “You need a lot more than a little bit of rest."

And Alex thought she could get used to this, the two of them united together to look after Kara. 

"This wasn't a random attack, it was planned," Alex said, her hand reaching to encase Kara’s subtly shaking hand in her own, "they'll need time to come up with a new strategy, to recover. As do you," she emphasized, "A day or two of rest won't change that, they won't be a threat to anyone else tonight."

At the reassurance in her tone, Kara finally surrendered her protest, her eyes blinking to remain open as the tax on her strength over the past few minutes began to take its toll. 

“Ok."

"Good," Alex smiled softly, before a voice from the doorway interrupted. 

"Agent Danvers, you're needed in the control room."

Alex immediately cast a conflicted glance back to the sergeant waiting patiently at the door, before training her gaze back on Kara, her eyes hesitant.

"It's ok," Kara whispered, trying to manage a reassuring smile as she weakly squeezed her hand "Go."

Squeezing back, Alex stood, turning to face Cat, a quizzical lift of her brow at Cat’s unmoving stance. 

"I'm not going anywhere," Cat said, the same tone from earlier in the night that conveyed no room for negotiation.

"Miss Grant—" Alex said, locked into a stare with the other woman yet again.

Eyes never leaving Alex’s, Cat threw out, "You over there in the white...rag," addressing the lab technician working in the corner.

"It's a lab coat—" 

"Will this contraption do any harm to me?" she questioned, finally tearing her gaze from Alex to pin the lab tech with a stern look.

"...No ma'm."

A satisfied smirk took over her features as she returned to face Alex. "Then I'm not leaving.” 

"Agent Danvers—" came the call from the doorway, although Alex paid it no mind. 

Her eyes narrowed as she searched Cat’s eyes, looking for any hint of subterfuge, only to find none. Her eyes shown with the purest of intent, and Alex’s stiffened posture relaxed in the slightest.

Sensing the reason for Alex’s hesitancy, Cat gentled her voice, remarking earnestly, "I'll take care of her."

"I know."

And despite everything, Alex believed it.

With a nod to the older woman, Alex bent down to lightly kiss Kara’s forehead, before she muttered, "To the stars—"

"—and all that's beyond," Kara whispered in reply.

It was their ‘thing’. Eliza used to put Alex to sleep with a kiss to the forehead and a gentle ‘I love you to the moon and back’. But after Kara arrived, she had puzzled at the phrase, questioning how a love that seemed so great could be quantified as so small. Alex had explained the phrase, that to humans was meant to convey a love more infinite than could be explained. Kara still questioned the phrase, but coming from a distance so far beyond the moon, Alex could see how she perceived the phrase to be a slight.

So then Alex had re-imagined the phrase for her, and told that no matter what, her love for her was endless, immeasurable, and that she loved her to the stars and all that lie beyond. 

The phrase stuck.

With one last look between Kara and Cat, her feet carried her from the room.

"Tell them to get started," she addressed the sergeant as she paused in front of the observation window, "I'll be right there."

"Yes Ma'm."

She leaned her forehead against the glass, her eyes slipping closed, as she took a much needed moment of solitude to regain her composure. After a deep, steadying breath, her eyes blinked open as she focused on the image behind the glass. 

Cat had found herself a chair, seating herself on the furthest side of the table, affording Alex full sight to her face, her attention fully on Kara without mind as to who could be watching. 

"You really don't have to stay," Alex heard her sister say weakly.

"Does it hurt now?" Cat murmured softly, ignoring the offered out, instead her eyes appraised the form of the girl lying on the table. Through the glass, Alex thought she saw a slight shimmer to older woman's eyes, a brief misting over before it was blinked away.

"Only a little," she heard her sister reply, voice quiet from exhaustion, her faced angled toward Cat now.

"And the treatment isn't so bad," she continued, her voice rocky as a round of slight shaking took hold of her body, "it just tickles a little." .

"Liar," Cat replied, her tone lacking the bite that such assertion usually warranted. And Alex could hear the worry in her voice, despite the gentle, reassuring smile that had taken up residence on her face.

"You're very brave, you know," Cat continued a moment later, her eyes not meeting Kara's, but focused on the hand that was reached out to stroke the tattered sleeve of the suit. Her gentle touch appeared to Alex to comfort to Kara, the shivering ceasing its intense onslaught to a more subtle course.

"Aw shucks, Miss Grant," Kara said with a docile smile, "you really know how to make a girl blush."

Really Kara? Shucks? 

When this was over, she really needed to have a conversation with Clark about just how much he was rubbing off on her. He might have been Superman, but he needed super help if that’s how he intended to charm women.

Although, somehow it seemed to work for Lois.

And later when her mind wasn’t overwhelmed with the burdens of worry and guilt and dedicated focus to the mission, she would stop to consider what that moment between the two meant further. 

"Whenever you're ready Miss Danvers," the lab technician uttered, prepared to start the treatment once more.

At that, Alex saw her sister tense, before Cat’s hand reached to stroke a strand of her hair softly, her hand trailing down the slope of her arm before her it covered Kara’s.

"If you'd like, you can squeeze my hand if it gets to hurt too much," Cat said, her thumb stroking smoothly over the back of Kara’s hand, "so long as you don't break my hand. I paid more money for this manicure than I pay the finance department, it would be a shame not to be able to show it off," she finished, straightening out her hand to appraise the detailed work for a moment, before it closed around Kara’s once more. 

Kara chuckled, before her voice carried weakly to Alex’s ears, "I don't think I'm strong enough for that right now, Miss Grant."

"You're really not going anywhere?" She heard Kara ask a moment later, hopeful.

"I'm staying right here," Cat responded with a squeeze of a hand and the softest look Alex had seen cross her face over the duration of the evening. 

"Ok," Kara replied, tilting her back and closing her eyes as she nodded to the lab tech to begin.

And as the pain shot through her sister once more as another wave of treatment started, her eyes closed tightly in anguish, Cat's own eyes closed in pain, before her eyes blinked open, resolute now in her assertion of strength for Kara.

Her head bent low, she leaned in to whisper in Kara's ear. Though Alex couldn't hear what she was saying, years of reading her sister told her it was helping, easing her pain if only in the slightest.

And that's all Alex had ever wanted for Kara—someone to help ease the pain.

Her sister was the epitome of strength. The pain she had been through—and not just the physical pain, but the emotional pain—losing her family, the struggle to adapt to this world, the pervasive loneliness she must've felt...

Perhaps Alex had underestimated Cat, her brusque opinion shaped on the idea of a woman that no longer fit. From everything Alex knew of the older woman, she was successful, driven, undeterred by the hindrance of hurt emotions and feelings in achieving her ends.

But the woman before her was a genuine surprise—much more gentle, softer even. And dare she say it, more caring, than she had believed at the start of the night.

And Alex felt something settle within her chest at that realization.

She watched the two a moment longer, and although she wished desperately to be at her sister's side, she knew her attention was necessary elsewhere.

But as she strode from the room, she had a feeling she had left her sister in more than capable hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you here for ShipperLucy! she will make a glorious return in another chapter after James's point of view, full on dedicated to her duties as Captain of this ship.


	3. James

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Capture: Close up on face. Eyebrows tilted down, two lines between the brows where they’re scrunched. Eyes cast in shadow. A reflection off of the lens of her glasses from the lights above. Brown rims fit her face well. Head downcast, shadow from her glasses on her cheek. Whites of her eyes shiny, glossy. Blue pops against it, look of devastation in her eyes. Lips parted. Chin tilted down._
> 
> _She’s crushed._  
> 
> Kara looked so lost in that moment, as she padded over to her desk, head down, before she plopped in her chair. Her head immediately found the cover of her hands, seeking refuge there, as her shoulder shook with the weight of the breath she blew out. 
> 
> James gave her a moment to compose herself. A pang resounded in his chest at the pain he could sense about her, before he made his approach, his hand seeking out her shoulder as he gave it a gentle squeeze. He lowered his voice, gently, “Are you alright, Kara?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> James’s point of view was quite a bit of a challenge to write. I just couldn’t seem to get into his character. Hopefully it's not too dry. Enjoy!

_Open shutter._

He wasn’t used to life in motion. He was used to looking through the lens of a camera and observing the world in stillness, frame by frame.

But such a view was governed by bias. Everything from the lighting to the angle to the tone of the shot could be manipulated, constructed to perfection. And if it lacked in any such manner, discarded or reshaped. He was used to shaping the image, framing it in just the right way to encompass what it was he precisely wanted to express. 

So much could be expressed in the depths of a picture. It was what first had attracted him to photography. Such intricate details coming together to form the perfect image. Not only was the image itself beautiful, but the process behind it was something to behold as well. 

Then there were the candid shots. A moment of plucked from the infinite expanse of time to be revisited countless times. Some of his favorite shots were the candid ones—unedited, capturing the purity of the moment. And such a moment could be studied on end and still be interpreted differently each time.

But that was the luxury of still frame. It allowed for correction and alteration in its taking, and time for consideration and postulation in its viewing. 

Life in motion was undoubtedly more complicated. 

Time unfolded too quickly, imperfectly. Moments could be captured but briefly in the mind, before they were replaced with a wave of new ones, each carrying new data to be processed, new angles to be considered. The beauty of the moment could not be stopped to appreciate it, nor consider it. 

Yes, life in motion certainly proved a challenge. 

Train wrecks were allowed to play out without pause for consideration or adjustment. 

Just like the one he was currently privy to observing. 

Most of the employees of CatCo knew better than to eavesdrop on Cat or become distracted by the happenings within her office. Several employees had been scolded for such, before a floor wide memo kindly (read: threateningly) reminded staff that focus and diligence were prized characteristics of CatCo’s employees, and that their focus should remain on things of their own business. 

But he had a personal investment within the confines of those walls, unlike most of the other employees of the floor. Clark charged him with looking out for his cousin, from the extraterrestrial or angry bosses alike. 

And so, his gaze remained steadfast on the scene in Cat’s office.

He can’t make out what they’re saying. 

But sound is not where his perception of the world around him flourishes. 

_Capture: Profile view. The stiff set to Cat’s form. Her hands on her hips, spine straight, as she looks down at Kara seated on the sofa in front of her. Light from the chandelier above shades her form. Diamond necklace catches the light. Shines bright. News stories glowing on TV screens serve as a blurred backdrop. The maroon of her dress complements her paleness of her skin. Nice contrast._

_Kara perched on the sofa, hands resting atop of gray slacks. Shoulders hunched forward. Cream cardigan, navy blue shirt. Colors blended perfectly. Lamp off to the side shades her face with a slight shadow. Head tilted downward, angle of the jaw highlighted, strong._

_Coffee table between them. Papers stacked, not littered about._

_Clean lines throughout the frame._

Clean lines give way to the messy situation as motion continues forward, life un-paused. 

If only the stillness of a photograph in the mind’s eye was allowed to prevail. 

They were arguing about something, he could tell by their body language, and from the looks of it, Cat had the upper hand. 

Cat threw her hands up in the air in exasperation, and then she raised her voice as her argument appeared to come to a head.

It was so rare of an occurrence for Cat to raise her voice. He had, in fact only seen it once. 

...And the person who had compared her to a dried up, more decrepit looking Lois Lane was escorted from the building minutes later after a verbal lashing that would have even the most steely of minds cowering for cover.

He’s seen Kara angry before—knows there’s an anger that runs just below the surface of her veins and when how she feels emotional, at loss of control mostly, it bubbles up to the surface. 

Just as it seemed to be now. 

_Capture: Kara on her feet. The flush coloring Kara’s cheeks. Rosy contrast to the half of her face seen. Profile view flatters the sharp angle of her nose and jaw. Slope of the neck rigid, neck muscles prominent. More clean lines. Shoulders tilted back. Hands curled by her side. Coiled tension throughout her form._

_She’s angry._

Kara didn’t back down from whatever the argument was. The loud exclamation on “That’s not fair!” from her drew the attention of a few onlookers, before Cat lowered her voice to continue the argument. 

And whatever she said next seemed to jar Kara.

_Capture: Close up on face. Profile. Eyebrow arched high. Eye wide, lashes catching the light. Lips open in a gasp._

_Surprise._

He observed Cat continuing to talk, hammering the blow, as Kara appeared to crumple in on herself. It was few moments more, and then Kara turned swiftly about her heel as she headed to the door.

_Capture: Close up on face. Eyebrows tilted down, two lines between the brows where they’re scrunched. Eyes cast in shadow. A reflection off of the lens of her glasses from the lights above. Brown rims fit her face well. Head downcast, shadow from her glasses on her cheek. Whites of her eyes shiny, glossy. Blue pops against it, look of devastation in her eyes. Lips parted. Chin tilted down._

_She’s crushed._

Kara looked so lost in that moment, as she padded over to her desk, head down, before she plopped in her chair. Her head immediately found the cover of her hands, seeking refuge there, as her shoulder shook with the weight of the breath she blew out. 

James gave her a moment to compose herself. A pang resounded in his chest at the pain he could sense about her, before he made his approach, his hand seeking out her shoulder as he gave it a gentle squeeze. He lowered his voice, gently, “Are you alright, Kara?” 

After receiving no response, he placed his other hand on the desk to steady himself as he bent lower, his knees bending to bring him down to her seated level. 

“Kara?”

Her hands released their hold on her head as she turned her face to greet James. If possible, her eyes looked even more troubled than moments before. "I don't know,” she muttered, shaking her head. 

James straightened to stand, his hand squeezing Kara’s shoulder in support once more before it fell to rest back at his side. “What happened?” he questioned.

Kara struggled to find the right words for a moment, before she replied “I don’t know,” sounding now less lost, but both parts distressed and angry. 

She turned in her seat, her gaze fixing on Cat’s office, Cat now typing away at her computer as if the exchange before held no weight on her conscious. “She’s angry,” Kara shrugged, throwing her hands up incredulously.

James turned his head to follow her gaze, before they flickered back to Kara. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” Kara repeated, the incense in her tone rising.

“Is she angry at you, or—?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t do anything wrong!” Kara cut in sharply. 

“Ok,” James said, hands raised in defense as he took a step back. Kara’s anger fell away at she seemed to remember herself, recognizing her emotions gaining the higher ground on her ability to reason rationally. She blew out a puff of air, apologizing contritely, before her posture folded in on itself once more. 

James moved closer to lean a hip against the desk, before he tried again, “Maybe start from the beginning, then?”

Kara’s eyes fluttered closed briefly, before she tilted her face up to look at him. “It started yesterday morning,” she sighed. “I wasn’t late, her latte was perfect,” she said, before her eyes brightened slightly, “it even had the extra shot of caramel that she refuses to admit that she likes.” 

She paused a moment, before James nodded his head for her to continue. “From the second she got here yesterday she’s just been—” Kara trailed off, her eyes clouded in distress as she turned her head back to the office.

And James knew exactly what she meant. Since yesterday morning, things had been...terse between them. Cold, even. Cat was quick to dismiss her. Each encounter he witnessed between them had Cat stiffened, whereas she normally more relaxed in Kara’s presence.

Kara was perhaps the only one in the office that could elicit such a feat. 

James knew that Cat could be cutting, brutal in her critique, but rarely was such a manner unprovoked, or demonstrated without a particular goal in mind. He was more likened to believe that her brusque behavior of the past few days was more than simple misplaced anger, the anger a shield to what lie further beneath—of what, he did not yet know, but perhaps Kara’s insight would hold the key. 

James was removed from his pondering at the distraught and dejected tone to Kara’s voice. “She called me useless,” she despaired, her eyes still on the subject of her current quandary. 

Kara’s eyes fell shut briefly to reign herself in, before she continued emboldened by her anger returned, “I even apologized to her for missing the meeting three days ago,” she went on, “but she has no right to be mad about that.”

Three days ago. Now that struck a cord. Three days ago... what was so specific about three days ago? What was he missing? 

“Three days ago?” he voiced the question mulling about his mind. 

Kara puzzled a moment at the inquest, her eyebrows scrunching together, before she elaborated, “After the building collapse, when we took the latest Fort Rozz escapee back to the DEO?” Her puzzlement was replaced one more with annoyance as she went on “It’s not my fault that his debriefing took a full day and a half!” 

Kara stood up, the brevity of the movement startling James as his mind started to come to clarity. “She tells me that its ok to be,” Kara went on, glancing quickly around before she lowered her voice and continued, “Supergirl, and she knows that those duties might call me away for a while, and,”

“—Kara.” James cut her off, his features twisted up in memory. 

Three Days Ago.

_Captured: Wide shot. Broad shoulders stood side by side with more slender ones. Reds, blues, whites, blacks, and greens of office attire. Suits, dress shirts, and dresses. A nice blend of colors. Back of heads upturned to the televisions. 3 lined up in a row. Symmetry. Headline reads: “Supergirl in Building As it Explodes. Whereabouts Unknown.” On screen picture blurred._

_At the edge of the frame: Cat Grant. Angled half in profile. Black blazer, black shirt underneath. Cream pants. Black heels. Blue gem hanging lose from the silver chain around her neck._

_Captured: Close up on face. Pale. Face shadowed from the TV blocking the light. Neck strained. Mouth parted. Brows lifted. Eyes wide._

_She was...scared. Afraid._

It all made sense now. 

A light smile touched his lips, "She's not mad at you," he began, turning his gaze from Kara to where Cat sat in the office beyond. Kara’s eyes trailed behind his. As if sense an intruding gaze, Cat looked up from her computer, a piercing, icy look directed back at Kara, the abrasiveness of the look causing Kara to recoil. 

At the brazen hostility, both James and Kara diverted their gazes back toward each other, Kara’s brow raised in annoyance as she leaned a hip against the desk.

"Ok, she's mad at you," James amended, a wince flickering over his features at the harshness of Cat’s look, "but wasn't she the one who taught you about the 'anger behind the anger?'"

Kara’s brow furrowed, her face twisted in questioning before James spoke again, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Did you ever let her know that you were ok?”

Winn had been privy to the comm’s relay, and had informed James of the outcome of the mission when he returned back to the floor from their office of operations at CatCo. And while both he and Winn relaxed in the knowledge of her safety, perhaps the same relief was not afforded to all of the concerned parties.

One in particular. 

Kara’s face recoiled at the query, her brain struggling to understand. “If I was—” she began, her eyes blinking in surprise before she shook her head, “Why would—,” 

“It’s not like this is the first time I was involved in a building collapse,” she finished with a low, depreciating chuckle. 

James tilted his head closer, as his hands left the fold of his chest to take up residence over his hips, “And what happened the last time you were involved in one?” 

The Kryptonite poisoning. 

Lying on a bed in the DEO while Cat vehemently insisted she be allowed to see Kara. 

The weird sort of...bond... that had developed between her sister and her boss since then. 

“...Oh,” Kara muttered in a low grumble, appreciating now her misstep. 

She flopped down heavily into the fold of her chair and breathed out a long sigh, understanding coloring her features at last. 

Her eyes gravitated back to Cat’s form, and such a look of desperate longing passed over her face, causing James pause.

He would be remiss to say that he hadn’t been considering Lucy’s assertion about what lie between Cat and Kara. But Lucy had always been rather quick in judging. His mind was more considerate, taking the time to analyze and dissect single moments captured with precision, no matter how fast Lucy wanted him to jump to the same conclusion. 

Moments such as these, however, tickled his thoughts, and gave him further reason to question it. 

“You know, every time you’re out there,” he began again, the timbre of his voice washing over Kara, “she’s never far from the T.V.”

Kara’s eyes flickered from her observation of Cat, her face a mixture of surprise and doubt when her gaze landed on James’s profile as he leaned his back against the edge of the desk, facing forward. 

“It’s hard, being left behind,” he went on slowly, carefully contemplating his words. His eyes took on a faraway look for a brief moment, as if trapped in memory. “It’s a little easier on Winn and I, because, you give us the opportunity to feel like we’re helping.”

“But it’s hard not to feel helpless just watching,” he finished.

Of that, he was certain. Though it was true that he and Winn had their troubled minds soothed a bit by being able to communicate with Kara while she was out in the field, it was still difficult for him every time to feel shackled by the confines of inertness, helpless as he stood on the sidelines. 

“You can take care of yourself, there’s no doubting that,” he said, sparing one last look through the glass walls of the office, before turning to take in Kara, her face open and earnest in listening.

“But the ones who love you are always going to be here waiting until you come back,” the assertion was strengthened by the wistfulness shining through his tone. 

His features morphed into a more serious setting, his eyes clouded in memory as he pushed off the desk and walked over to the window, as if the bright light of the day could offer some clarity to the thoughts swirling about raucously his mind as he tried to organize them. 

Sunlight fell upon his face, and he briefly wondered what it would be like to feel the same strength Kara had explained rejuvenated her—if it felt as warm as the touch of its rays felt to him now. 

“There was a time when he didn’t come back,” James cleared his throat to swallow the lump that seemed to have formed. He heard Kara push up from her chair and felt the shift in the air as she came to stand beside him. “Your cousin,” he elaborated, throwing a sideways glance in her direction. 

He turned about, resting his back against the cool glass as his arms came up to cross over his chest and his gaze drew upward toward the television broadcasting the innateness of the day. He crossed his ankles over each other, leaning his eight against the window as he began in remembrance. 

“Lois and I saw watched on TV as he entered a building, and whatever happened in there,” he trailed off in pause, a painful look crossing his eyes that piqued Kara’s interest.

It had been a botched bank robbery. The assailants had nicked the gas pipe drilling into the vault. Clark had disarmed them and managed to clear the building of civilians before the building went up in a blaze of fire and smoke. 

No one from the bank had been injured. But the building next door that had been engulfed by the widespread reach of the explosion—there had been a child. 

Neither the television crew nor standby witness had seen Clark take exit from the building. And after its destruction, his absence remained a question of his fate. 

He was pulled from the memory by the prompting look in Kara’s eyes. “We waited for 3 days, not knowing what happened to him.” 

And when Clark had returned, after three days of the two of them staring endlessly at the scrolling headlines for any hint of what had befallen their friend, the only thing that had quelled the icy fury of Lois’s anger was the dejectedness that seemed pervasive throughout his form, the hint of a hollow look in his eyes. 

“When he came back, he said that he had needed some time,” he said offhandedly.

He remembered the broken look on Clark’s face upon his eventual return. Clark had despaired at not being fast enough to save the child, something in him having been broken by it. He had taken off to the Fortress of Solitude for those three days, to settle his desolate mind and find himself and his strength once more.

No matter how fast he was, or how inhumane his strength or constitution may have been, he explained to James that a part of him would have to come to accept that these gifts would not always allow him to save everyone. 

James’s heart clenched painfully at the thought that one day, Kara would have to learn the same lesson.

“But a piece of us will always go with you every time you go out there, Kara,” he concluded, angling to her face her. 

“I think a bigger piece of her goes with you than she likes to admit,” a small smile overtook his lips at the thought, as he briefly glanced back to Cat seated at her desk, before his gaze returned to Kara.

Something swirled within her eyes then, apart from understanding.

“You should talk to her,” James muttered, placing a steadying hand of support on Kara’s shoulder. 

Kara said nothing, instead settling for a nod. She was lost in consideration for a moment, before she straightened, James’s hand falling away as she tugged down the hem of her shirt, steeling herself for a return to the hostility that had sent her running just minutes before, of which she was sure still remained.

She offered him a smile in thanks, taking a step forward. She went but a few steps before a recess in her step. “Hey James,” she called, a small smile painted over her features. 

“My cousin was lucky to have you,” she beamed, “We both are.” 

He offered a wide smile in answer before she was encased within the glass walls of the office once more. 

He watched the two a moment more—the look of annoyance on Cat’s face at Kara’s presence, before something caught his attention.

_Capture: Close up on Kara’s hand. Brown rims. Perfect contrast to the pale skin of the hand wrapped around one of the arms. White background of the desk out of focus._

_Trust_

Kara only removed her glasses, apart from when she took on Supergirl’s persona, in moments swirling with depths of emotion. He had learned that when her glasses were removed, to brace himself for the seriousness of the situation. To reveal her true self—not the mask of the assistant that served as her cover or the superhero that served as her purpose, but rather the real Kara, the one in between—the moment resonated deeply within Kara, and the trust given at the gesture deserved rapt attention. 

And he supposed that whatever was between Kara and Cat was something that required an air of seriousness. Kara had explained once how she felt that this place served to ground her. And James knew that a large part of that was the influence of both himself and Winn, but he couldn’t help but wonder if the woman sitting behind the desk on the other side of the glass had more of a steadying influence than he was initially led to believe.

He had been quite shocked in the beginning to learn that Cat had agreed to safeguard Kara’s secret. He couldn’t see how the action was self-serving, becasue after all, Cat Grant’s actions, particularly regarding a good scoop, were almost always self-serving. The motives behind the move proved perplexing, but perhaps he had been misgiving in not giving Cat the proper credit she deserved.

He had begun to see that, when it came to Kara at least, the edge of reserved hardness in the older woman softened in the slightest. He knew that she had come to care for Kara, although just how much was elusive to his understanding, despite Lucy’s continued assertion that there was something between them. 

James lost track of how long he stood enraptured in his mussing, but at the sound of the office door pushing open, his eyes snapped up, pulling him from his thoughts. It appeared that their conversation reached a rather painless resolution—there had been no screaming that he had jarred him from his thoughts in the earlier moments, no crushing looks of devastation this time. 

He thought, as Kara paused to glance back to Cat, that maybe he needed to give Lucy’s determined assertion some more thought. 

_Capture: Long range shot, depth. Kara’s hand on the door handle, arm stretched out. Body in side profile. Golden hair cascades down her back. Long slope of her neck, V shaped grove between the muscles, light shadowing the apex of the curve as her head is turned back to the interior of the room. Arm of the glasses blending in with her hair. The edge of a rim of the glasses frame peeks out from the profiled view._

_The cream colored couch, the coffee table, papers still in place._

_Cat’s desk. White. TV’s in backdrop._

_Cat. Soft—smile, lighting, angle. Yellow glow from the lamp light from the corner of the room casts a shadow from the strap of her dress across her chest. Slight up turn to pink lips. Face relaxed, devoid of worry lines or crinkles. Chin casting a slight shadow on her neck. Eyes bright, soft._

_Was there something there, between the two of them?_

He’d make his own judgments. 

After all, that is the beauty of a photograph, of captured moments.

...It’s up to you decide. 

_Close shutter._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To keep you enticed—a much easier write: a preview of the next chapter, and the return of ShipperLucy!
> 
> _U.S.S. SuperCat, Day 42 (Present Day), Captain's Log._
> 
> _Love: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the U.S.S. SuperCat. It's present mission: to explore strange new feelings, to expose new oblivious love-struck idiots to the wonders of relationships, to boldly go where no woman has gone before..._
> 
> _Except the "boldly going" is more like "crawling at a snail's pace" because Cat and Kara still have not admitted their feelings for one another._
> 
> _And yes, they are most certainly there, despite Winn's continued reservations._
> 
> _No matter how many times they are "pushed" to admit what is so glaringly obvious, there's just...NOTHING! And c'mon, if romantic comedies can do it, poorly and with bad lighting half of the time, shouldn’t it be easy!?_
> 
>  
> 
> Featuring ShipperLucy, the Supersquad, and game night gone horribly wrong.

**Author's Note:**

> Anything you'd like to see for future characters, drop me a comment here or on tumblr at doorengray


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